Retailing-case



' (No Model.)

B. MAYBIN. RETAILING CASE.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDXVARD MAYBIN, OF NEV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

RETAlLlNG-CAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,075, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed January 8, 1897.

To all whom it ntay concern.-

' Be it known that I, EDWARD LIAYBIN aJ citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Retailing-Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in cases for holding and delivering spools of cotton; and it consists in the novel devices hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a partial front view of a case provided with a glass front and supposed to contain a number of tubes, two of which only are shown. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing a section through the ease and showing one of the tubes in side elevation with parts broken away, and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through one of the tubes and through the case and shows the operating parts in elevation.

A represents one or more tubes,preferably cylindrical, but which may be of any suitable cross-section, as desired. This tube or these tubes A, as the case may be, are mounted in an upright position within a case haying top X, to which the upper end of the tube A is secured by means of screws a, which pass through a flange ct on the said tube A, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The case is provided with a suitable bottom Z, which projects somewhat beyond the front of the case, as shown in Fig. 2, to form a shelf, for the purposes hereinafter referred to. Between the upper and lower strips X and Z in the front of the case a plate of glass Y is fitted, as shown, or the front of the case may be closed entirely, if preferred.

The upper portion of the tube A is straight and in use occupies an approximately vertical position within the case. This tube has a short portion A near its lower end set slightly at an angle to the perpendicular, and at its lower end terminates in a curved portion or spout A having opening A leading Serial No. 618,491. (No model.)

therefrom. This lower end of the tube rests upon an inclined chute A having upright leg or standard a mounted upon a bracket or support A, secured to the bottom Z of the case, and is rigidly secured to the said chute in any suitable manner, as seen in Figs. 2 and The tube A may be made continuous and bent to form the angular portion A and the curved portion A or it may be made in separate pieces or sections and jointed together, as shown at a and (L The lower end of the chute A projects into and partially through an opening Z in the strip Z large enough to allow the passage of the spools of cotton or other articles as they are discharged from the tube A.

B represents an angle-lever pivoted at 0 upon the bracket or upright C, rigidly mounted upon the floor of the case, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. This angle-lever has a vertical arm B and a horizontal arm B which latter protrudes through a vertical slot 5 in the lower strip Z of the front of the case and is provided with a key or button 12 upon its outer end to enable the said horizontal arm to be depressed by the finger of a person. In a case where a number of these tubes are used to contain different grades ofarticles of the same nature, such as spools of cotton of different degreesof fineness, there would be a mark upon the key or button 19 of each angle-lever to indicate the grade of the article contained in each tube, so that a person may tell at a glance which key to depress. The vertical arm B of this angle-lever B may be straight or curved according to requirements, and this vertical arm is adapted to operate a pair of cut-offs for discharging the spools of cotton or other articles one at a time from the tube, as hereinafter more fully described.

D represents a rod or shaft fitting in a sleeve D the latter being rigidly mounted upon the side of the angular portion A of the tube, and this rod is adapted to move longitudinally in said sleeve. Rigidly mounted upon this rod at or near the ends thereof area pair of curved arms D and D The arm D extends upward and curves over to a horizontal position in rear of the tube A and carries upon said horizontal portion a flat plate or cut-oft d adapted to enter a horizontal cross-slot in the rear wall of the angular portion A of the tube at or near the upper end of said portion. The arm D is similar to the arm D, but is mounted upon the rod D in the reverse position to that of the arm D and at or near the opposite end of the said rod, and thus extends downward and curves under to a horizontal position in front of the tube A, as seen most clearly in Fig. 1, and carries upon said horizontal portion a fiat plate or cut-off 61 which is adapted to enter a horizontal crossslot d in the front wall of the angular portion A of the tube at or near the lower end of said portion, as seen most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.

The rod D is normally held in the backward position by means of a coil-sprin g D as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the lower cut-off d at the front of the tube extends through the slot a into the lower part of the angular portion A, while the upper cut-off d at the rear of the tube is held withdrawn almost entirely from the slot at in the upper part of the said angular portion A of the tube.

The upper end b of the vertical arm B of the angle-lever B bears against the rear end of the rod D, and when the outer end of the horizontal arm B is depressed the upper end I) of the said vertical arm will push the rod forward longitudinally, causing the lower out off 61 to be withdrawn and the upper cut-off d to be projected into the tube simultaneously. The distance between these two outoffs should be approximately the same as the length of one of the spools of cotton or other article contained in the tube, so that while the lower cut-ofi is being withdrawn from beneath the lowest spool or other article the upper cut-off will slide beneath the next to the lowest spool and. will retain it and those above it, while the bottom spool or other article is allowed to slide downward and out of the lower end of the tube as soon as the lower cut-off is entirely withdrawn.

'at its lower end upon the lower cut-off (P.

The part A being at an angle to the upper part of the tube wherein the other spools are held a break will be created in the continuity of the column between the upper end of the lowest spool and the lower end of the next to the lowest spool at the rear of the tube and immediately opposite the end of the upper cut-01f d, as seen in Fig. 3, inasmuch as the next to the lowest spool fitting snugly in the tube will retain its vertical position. \Vhen the outer end of the horizontal arm 13 is depressed, the upper end b of the vertical arm B will push the rod D forward, withdrawing the lower cut-ofi d and simultaneously projecting the upper cut-off d inward beneath the next to the lowest spool. When the lower cut-011' has been entirely withdrawn from beneath the lowest spoohthe latter will slide down of its own weight and will pass out of the end of the tube and fall into a suitable receptacle provided therefor, while the remaining spools in the column will be held in their former position by the upper cut-off until the arm B is again released, when the action of the spring D will cause the upper 'cut-ofi to be again withdrawn and the lower cut-off to be again projected into the tube. The column will then descend and the lowest spool will rest upon the lower cut-off,as before.

While I have shown and described my apparatus as used for retailing spools of cotton or thread, it will be obvious that with slight modifications it might be used equally well for other articles of a uniform size without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an apparatus for holding and for delivering singly, articles of a similar size and shape; the combination with a hollow upright tube of a size adapted to hold the articles only in a superposed position, provided with openings to receive and deliver said articles, havin g at or near the lower portion thereof a relatively short port-ion set at aslight angle to the body of said tube, and having openings in opposite sides of said angular portion, the one at or near the upper end, and the other at or near the lower end of said angular portion; of a pair of cut-offs adapted to work in said openings; means for normally holding the lower cut-off projected into the tube, and the upper cut-off withdrawn therefrom; and means for simultaneously withdrawing said lower cutoff and projecting said upper cut-off, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for holding and for delivering singly, articles of a similar size and shape; the combination with a hollow upright cylinder of a size and shape adapted to hold the articles only in a superposed position, provided with openings to receive and deliver said articles, having at or near the lower endthereof a relatively short portion set at a'slight angle to the body of said cylinder, and having openings in opposite sides of said angular portion, the one at or near the upper end, and the other at or near the lower end of said angular portion; of a rod mounted in a sleeve rigidly mounted upon said cylinder, and adapted to move longitudinally therein; a pair of arms rigidly mounted upon said rod at opposite ends thereof; a cut-off mounted upon each of said arms and adapted to enter one of said openings in said angular portion; means for holding said rod normally at the extreme end of its movement in one direction; and means for sliding said rod to the extreme end of its movement in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for holdingand for delivering singly, articles of a similar size and shape; the combination with a hollow upright tube of a'size and shape adapted to hold the articles only in a superposed position, provided with openings to receive and deliver said articles; having at or near its lower end a relatively short portion set at a slight angle to the body of said tube, and having openings in opposite sides of said angular portion, the one at or near the upper end, and the other at or near the lower end thereof; of a pair of cut-offs adapted to work in said openings; a

spring normally holding the lower cut-0E pro-.

jected into the tube, and the upper out-oft withdrawn therefrom; and a lever for simultaneously withdrawing said lower cut-off and projecting said upper out-off, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for holding and for delivering singly, articles of a similar size and shape; the combination witha-hollow upright cylinder of a size and shape adapted to hold the articles only in a superposed position, provided with openings to receive and deliver said articles; having at or near the lower end thereof a relatively short portion set at a slight angle to the body of said cylinder, and having openings in opposite sides of said angular portion, the one at or near the upper end, and the other at or near the lower end of said angular portion; of a rod mounted in a sleeve rigidly mounted upon said cylinder, and adapted to move longitudinally therein; a pair of arms rigidly mounted upon said rod at opposite ends thereof; a cut-off mounted upon each of said arms and adapted to enter one of said openings in said angular portion; a coil-spring holding said rod normally at the extreme end of its movement in one direction; and an angle-lever pivoted upon a standard and having an arm adapted to engage said rod and to slide the same to the extreme end of its movement in the opposite direction, against the action of said spring,substantially as described.

5. In a case for holding and for delivering singly, spools of cotton, thread and the like, the combination with a suitable inclosing box or case; of a hollow tube adapted to hold the spools only in a superposed position, mounted in an upright position within said case; said tube being open at both ends; and having at or near the lower end a relatively short portion set at a slight angle to the body of said tube, provided with a pair of horizontal slots in opposite sides thereof, the one at or near the upper end, and the other at or near the lower end of said portion a pair of oppositelydisposed cutoffs mounted upon said tubes and adapted to work in said openings; means for normally holding the lower out-01f closed, and the upper cut-oft open; means for simultaneously withdrawing said lower cut-off and projecting said upper cut-oft; and a chute leading from the lower end of said tube to the outside of said case, substantially as described.

6. In a case for holding and for delivering singly, spools of cotton, thread and the like, the combination with a suitable inclosin g box or case, of a hollow tube of a size and shape adapted to hold the articles only in a superposed position, mounted in an upright position within said case; said tube being open at both ends, and having at or near the lower end a relatively short portion set at a slight angle to the body of said tube, provided with a pair of horizontal slots in opposite sides thereof, the one at or near the upper end, and the other at or near the lower end of said angular portion; a rod mounted in a sleeve rigidly mounted upon said cylinder, and adapted to move longitudinally therein; a pair of arms rigidly mounted upon said rod at opposite ends thereof; a short flat plate or cut-offmounted upon each of said arms and adapted to enter one of said horizontal slots; a coil-spring surrounding said rod and holding the lower cut-0E normally closed and the upper cut-oft normally open; and a pivoted lever adapted to engage said rod and simultaneously open the lower cut-oft and close the upper cut-oft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD MAYBIN. lVitnesses:

H. ROBINSON, F. CRABITIE. 

